After some last minute tips from triathlon legend Michellie Jones, JIM GARFIELD (AMG) PR'd in the Santa Barbara Long Course Tri. This in spite of last Wednesday's ActiveX hate-a-thon work out!

TAWNYA BORDALO and her husband ran the End of Summer Fire Run from La Jolla to PB on Sunday. This was our first event together and we had such a great time! The conditions were nice and cool in the morning and the course was easy and quick. I was able to decrease my average mile time by 54 seconds! Big thanks to ActiveX and the weekly trail running group!

BROOKE KIRKPATRICK and her fiancé Jim ran the Copper Mountain Half marathon this last Saturday finishing at 2:10. Out of the women, I was the 14th to finish, but there were a total of 82 people for this race!! The first half of the race took us around Copper Mountain Village and the second half was climbing up Vail Pass and then a nice run down to finish!

TOYA REAVIS competed in the Wild Duck 5K Cross Country race this Saturday. It is the 1st race of the Dirt Dog Cross Country series. It was very very competitive as most of the best runners in the region come out for the series. I was 17th woman overall and won 3rd in my age group. My time was 20:22 on a tough hilly course and it was warm and humid. 20:22 was same time I ran last week in the AFC 5K which was a flat road race on pavement - I am getting stronger.

HANNAH SANSONE made the long drive South to Imperial Beach for the IB Sprint Triathlon on Sunday. I placed 4th in my age group and was 20th overall out of a field of 152 women. This was such a fun day - everyone at the event was happy and positive and stepping up to cheer each other on. And I ran into another athlete from Active, Emily Ogata, which was definitely a highlight of the morning!

NUNO COSTA also competed in Imperial Beach Tri this weekend - finished 2nd in my age group - 25-29 Best finish in a race for me ever

ARCH and Christy Fuston moved this weekend with the help of some ActiveXers. We had a moving dolly, but we all agreed it would make it too easy, so we left it in the truck. Ahh, the intrinsic benefits of ActiveX!

LIZ & Scott HARRELL (San Diego office) rode with Team in Training this Saturday. Liz rode her bicycle for 21 miles!!! First time ever. Was even able to clip in and out with out falling down (not as easy as it sounds). Scott tackled 26 miles and discovered that padded bike shorts really do help!!! We are training for a century ride, El Tour de Tucson with Team in Training. They train us; we raise money for a really great cause.

TRISH OBERHAUS did the Accenture Chicago Triathlon for the second year and had a great time. We had beautiful weather for race day and I improved my sprint distance time from last year. I was also able to meet and hang out with Toby this weekend which was very cool. My wave started the race more than an hour before Tobys did, so when I finished I went back to the part of the course where the run begins. I ran with him to cheer him on (but only for a little bit because I couldnt keep up)

TOBY GUILLETTE raced the Olympic-distance Accenture Chicago Triathlon against 4,088 others and finished 262nd overall. The highlight of my trip was finally meeting Trish, my fellow Online Community Specialist, who Ive worked with for over a year.

One year ago today I accessed my Active email account for the first time and read, "Trish, welcome to Active! Were excited to have you on board," followed shortly thereafter by, "were all a team, support the same mission and should have fun doing it."

I came to this company a team sports fanatic (and will always be, first and foremost). But I'd be lying if I said that working at Active had not influenced me to pursue more endurance-type endeavors. Check out Chicago Accenture Triathlon and 100 miles = done! to see some of the things I've been up to this past year.

I cannot believe a year has gone by! I truthfully have had fun being a part of this team and I look forward to more years to come.

Hey everyone, Trish and Toby here. This month we've created a guide to our best seasonal articles to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the holidays. No matter what your active passion may be, we've got you covered.

Lifestyle:

With holiday feasts right around the corner and weather that can diminish our motivation to train, it is not uncommon to pack on a few extra pounds this time of year. Active Expert Charles Stuart Platkin’s article, The Diet Detective: Fall Into Healthy Eating Habits, offers valuable tips for maintaining fitness without a compromise in performance at winter races and ensures a return to peak form in the spring.

Endurance:

Have you ever heard the saying, “athletes are made in the off season”? Now's the time to target your weaknesses and build proper technique and habits to lead into a successful racing season. Check out Boost Your Endurance in 7 Simple Steps and get the most from your off-season training.

Team:

Basketball season is upon us and it’s time for fundamental workouts with and without the basketball. Mississippi State basketball coach, Sharon Fanning, shares a 45-minute Workout that will developing confidence, coordination, strength, timing, and stamina on the hardwood.

Action:

Indoor Climbing Gyms Offer Year-round Fun Fitness and a nice break from the treadmill and stationary bike routine. Don’t let the winter elements take you off belay—utilize indoor climbing gyms to build stamina and confidence in a controlled environment. When the weather warms enough to head outdoors, you’ll be in peak condition.

Activities of Interest:

Check out Sacramento Winter Softball Camp by Olympic gold medalists Tairia Flowers and Natasha Watleyto hone your softball skills at the plate and in the field. Focus will be on increasing offensive power, slapping techniques, defensive fundamentals and pitching development. This camp will also feature practice-structure tips and drills along with valuable college recruiting advice from the pros.

Take advantage of The Classic Y-100, one of the last century rides of the year on November 25 in Ormond Beach, Florida. Crank out 100 in this inaugural ride that promises a beautiful route leading north along the Intracoastal waterway through parks and along the Atlantic coast. This event features a great safe route for beginners as well as 65- and 35-mile routes.

Folks in Southern California have already begun to register for the 2008 Carlsbad Marathon and Half Marathon on January 20. This was Toby’s first half marathon back in 2006 and he recommends it for runners of all abilities because of the fast course and beautiful ocean view.

See your training bear fruit at the oldest Ironman-distance triathlon held in the continental United States. Check out one of five 2008 Vineman events: Ironman 70.3, full Vineman, sprint tri at sundown, women's half or Aquabike during this weekend-long triathlon celebration.

Hey everyone, Trish and Toby here. Were firm believers that the active lifestyle involves more than just being physically active--its about being intellectually and socially active too. We compiled a list of 10 tips for being active in all areas of life. Because no matter what stage of life you are in, you should always strive to be the best version of yourself.

1. Maintain a positive mental outlook. There's a clear connection between living well and having a cheerful outlook on life. Research has found that people who think positively about life live an average of seven and a half years longer than negative thinkers.

3. Reduce stress. We're so focused on being go-getters that we often forget to de-stress. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like--walk on the beach or in a park, read a book, visit a friend, play with your dog, listen to soothing music or watch a funny movie. Don't forget to take some time to focus on clearing your thoughts and giving your mind, body and spirit a chance to rejuvenate.

4. Invest in a quality pair of shoes and socks. Visit a specialty store that understands that every foot and foot strike is unique. When your feet are happy, so are you. Comfortable, supportive and well-fitting shoes and synthetic socks are worth the investment of time and money.

5. Socialize. Having a social network is important to the body, mind and spirit. People who are socially active tend to be healthier, happier and less likely to become depressed. To stay socially active, make a point of getting out of the house. Make plans with your friends to go out to lunch or better yet, make plans to exercise regularly with a friend or group of friends. Exercising with others is usually more fun than exercising on your own--and it can help you stick with your exercise program. Try joining our online community today!

6. Exercise your brain. The key to keeping your memory sharp is continuing to challenge it. Having a book on hand and discussing what youve read with friends or a book club is one way to keep your brain in good shape. Crosswords, Sudoku and puzzles are also excellent ways to keep your brain agile. There is always more learning to do. Find out what works for you.

7. Volunteer. Donating your time at an aid station during a race or soup kitchen over the holidays, puts life into perspective. Be thankful for all you have and give to others who are less fortunate.

8. Omit high fructose corn syrup from your diet. Widespread use of this highly modified sweetener is making us and our children unhealthy. High fructose corn syrup bypasses the digestive process and goes straight to the liver, where it gets turned into fat. Combined with the typical American high-fat diet, the result is increased danger of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Try using honey as sweetener instead. As an added bonus, ingesting locally grown honey before allergy season helps your body acclimate to some pollen levels in advance.

9. Maintain close relationships. Make a point to strengthen ties with your family, friends and loved ones. Volunteer work, religious ties, even petsanything that keeps you involved with othersreduces stress and enhances health. Having a strong network of family and friends and a broad range of activities will support your health.

10. Give yoga a try. Youll be amazed at the difference it makes when your body is limber and flexible. Plus, yoga reduces the chances of injury. Try a beginning yoga class to enjoy the wide range of benefits--your mind and body will both thank you.

Comments are encouraged--please share your tips for staying healthy and active with the rest of us.

Another weekend of adventure is almost here. But before it gets underway, I wanted to share a couple photos of Pensacola, Florida. Last week I had a chance to visit one of my best friends who moved there about a year ago.

Pensacolapart of the Emerald Coast on the panhandle that includes Panama City and Destinis, as you might expect, beautiful. With it's perfectly clear water and the whitest sand I've ever seen, it was a good way to get one last dose of summer in before fall (and the Fall Classic) takes over.

I can feel summer slipping away as playoff baseball heats up. One thing is for sure, the St. Louis Cardinals are anything but hot.

While the Padres are enjoying a first place battle, within less than two week the Cards completely took themselves out of contention. I was home in St. Louis over Labor Day for a while and watched a game that would have put the Cardinals, Brewers and Cubs in a three-way tie for the National League Central Division. Instead, they lost that game and then just about the next ten in a row. Lame.

The team was looking promising with a resurgence of stronger pitching about a month ago. Now eight games back with only eleven left to play, I am officially giving up hope.

It might be time to use the line the Chicago Cubs have been saying for 98 years: There's always next season.

(Side note: I'm not convinced the Cubs won't lose it again this year. People say that Steve Bartman has since moved away from Chicago, but I'm pretty sure I've seen him prowling around Wrigleyville late in the season )

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." ~ The Olympic Creed

This is one of my all-time favorite quotesand not just because its the creed of the Olympic movement, but because its applicable to life in general.

There are a lot of Olympic happenings going on. Active Expert Gale Bernhardt is on the forefront of the 2008 Beijing World Cup race which will help determine the 2008 USA Olympic Triathlon Team.

Also, the International Olympic Committee announced today that seven cities have submitted applications to host the 2016 Olympic Games. The deadline to apply was yesterday and the cities that are on the list to be considered are: Baku Azerbaijan, Chicago USA, Doha Qatar, Madrid Spain, Prague Czech Republic, Rio de Janeiro Brazil and Tokyo Japan.

These cities will now begin a two-year quest ending on October 2, 2009 when IOC members vote for their favorite to host the 2016 Games. I know that seems so far away, but I've already started crossing my fingers. Having Chicago be where the world comes to compete would be the experience of a lifetime!